Fire and Spice - A FireflyDune Crossover
by RedPonzu
Summary: The ragtag crew of the Serenity need to sell some dangerous stolen goods. Things get complicated when one of their passengers turns out to be more than first thought. War veteran captain Reynolds must keep his crew together and keep flying at all costs. Based on the pilot episode, this is Firefly if it existed in the Dune universe.
1. Chapter 1

**Fire and Spice**

A Dune-Firefly Crossover

**Episode One**

**Chapter 1:** The Battle of Serenity Valley

_Planet Palma_

_Serenity Valley_

_10,188 A.G._

Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds clung a ballistic rifle to his chest, running from sheer death. Cluster bombs lit the night sky, courtesy of imperial airships. The shock wave of a near miss knocked him off his feet, temporarily winding him. Fellow independents rushed by, intercepting a squad of Corrino regulars. The House Corrino infantry, called "purple bellies" by the independents, fast approached Palma's last stand. Mal knew it was just a matter of time before the last browncoat position was taken.

The sergeant watched angrily as Corrino troops killed several men with lasguns. Pencil thin beams of light sliced through skin and bone easily. The imperials knew the resistance couldn't afford personal shields, so used the cruel weapons without prejudice. Mal charged into the fray, spending his last clip on the enemy ranks. He lunged behind a rock, peering around it to observe the skirmish. The surviving rebels got the upper hand, providing a glimpse of hope. It wasn't to last. A gunship swooped over the browncoats, cutting them down with its las-cannon.

Mal's eyes darted across the battlefield, looking for something to use. He spotted an abandoned anti-aircraft gun and dashed for it. Explosions and laser fire followed his every step. Mal sighed in relief, making it to the weapon against all odds. He stared down its iron sights, lining it up with the gunship. He restrained himself, waiting for the perfect moment.

"Come on, just a little lower..."

He squeezed hard on the triggers and prayed. The AA gun shuddered, hurling white-hot tracers at the target. The rounds punched through the gold and purple lion insignia stamped on the craft's hull. Jets of flame burst from the craft's metal. Mal backed away from the platform, his work done.

"Yeah!" he yelled, raising his fist in triumph.

Mal grinned at his handiwork, until the flying wreckage headed straight for him. He bolted from the descending craft, his brown duster flying in the wind. The squad's bunker, enforced by a hastily dug trench was his only hope. Mal strained himself to the limit, preparing to dive into the dirt. He spotted Corporal Zoe Alleyne peer over a row of sandbags. Mal grabbed her and threw themselves into the trench. The earth shook violently as the bomber crashed. Chunks of the vehicle flew over the two rebels.

"Gorrammit Zoe, thought I told ya to stay in the bunker!"

"The men were worried you weren't comin' back sir."

Mal pulled her up hurried into the fortification. It was strewn with dead independents. Just a handful of the 57th Overlanders remained alive. The survivors milled about, awaiting orders. Most were in shock at the wholesale slaughter occurring outside the pathetic encampment.

"Situation report sir?" Zoe asked.

"Imperials are gunnin' us down left and right, we need air support now!"

He looked to Greene, the group's communication specialist. He held an earpiece to his head, listening to an independent officer from HQ. "Well?" Mal asked.

"The brass won't send air support without a lieutenant's authorization code!"

Private Bendis, a fresh faced recruit and newest brigade member, warned of incoming enemies. Mal grabbed an ammo clip off a dead soldier, slamming it into his assault rifle. He, Zoe and Bendis opened fire. A hail of bullets shredded into the enemy ranks, killing or scattering them. A rare moment of silence came over the camp. Mal wasted no time returning to the communication console.

"Greene, what's the status on-"

He stopped short, Greene was dead. Blood seeped out of his uniform and his eyes stared unblinkingly upward. Mal frantically searched the fallen soldiers for a lieutenant's badge. Upon finding one, he typed the officer's serial into the console. He picked up the headset and made contact with HQ.

"This is Sergeant Reynolds, acting commander of the 57th Overlanders, we need air support or this war is over!"

He handed the headset to Zoe to wait for the HQ's reply. He looked at the haggard faces of his demoralized men. From under his shirt he retrieved his Mahayana Christian cross necklace and held it.

"As God as my witness, we will hold this position! The empire said they'd walk through Serenity valley and we choked 'em with those words. We've done the impossible and that makes us mighty. A little while longer and our angels will soar overhead and reign fire on those _gǒushǐ duī_imperials! We will HOLD!"

A cluster bomb exploded nearby, rocking the feeble bunker. A piece of the concrete ceiling split apart, falling onto a soldier and knocking him out. Zoe put down the headset, crestfallen by some news. The buzz of engines could be heard from outside.

"Listen," Mal said. "The angels are coming to send the imperials to the hot place."

"They're not coming sir, they said it's too risky, they're pullin' out," Zoe replied.

The roar of the ships outside grew louder.

"If that's not them then..." Mal said.

He looked out of the bunker's opening to see Imperial Sardaukar drop ships. Each craft was a small base unto itself. Green fire flickered from their VTOL thrusters, illuminating the battlefield in a pale glow. Landing pods fell from the ships, carrying the first wave. The Sardaukar were the fanatical shock troops of the Padishah Emperor, unmatched by any army in existence. It was over, the war was lost. Mal stood in complete disbelief. He barely noticed as a laser beam struck down Bendis behind him.

Mal saw the first Sardaukar troops to disembark from their pods. He noted the faint shimmer surrounding them, indicating they were shielded. Nothing traveling at lethal velocity would penetrate them. Only the slow thrust of a blade, delivered in close combat, could circumvent the devices. The black armored commandos wielded tri-barreled personal las-cannons. They marched in a wide formation, casting a long shadow over the independent remnants.

Mal stood unmoving as he took in the fearsome sight. A hand grabbed his arm.

"Sergeant," Zoe said.

Silence.

"Sergeant Reynolds!" she repeated, "Snap out of it, you are still in command of this brigade!"

Malcolm stumbled away from the bunker's window and slung his battered rifle across his shoulder.

"Move out people, we'll double back to the rendezvous point," he managed weakly.

The soldiers abandoned their last line of defense. They marched through rocky terrain, trudging past fallen bodies and smoking wreckage. The sound of laser fire echoed in the distance, as the Sardaukar purged straggling rebels and independent assets. Instant death was always one step behind Mal and his beleaguered browncoats. As the days passed, the sergeant picked up other survivors. He and Zoe tried their best to tend to the sick and wounded, as the exodus continued.

A week later, over two hundred troops followed Mal. He was the closest thing to leadership remaining in the valley. His dogged determination to survive kept them going, refusing to surrender to sickness and despair. Mal held up a hand to halt the others. They covered a lot of ground, and needed a break. Along the way, the sergeant had salvaged a portable comm radio. He found a rock to sit on and started turning the radio dials.

"Any luck sir?" Zoe asked.

"Getting something, hold on."

Another twist of the dial brought in a voice recording.

"To all independent survivors, the war is over. Standby for med-ship retrieval. Use your signal flares if you have them."

Weak cheers came from the exhausted soldiers, most were silent. Some were too weak to celebrate, while others were too emotionally numb to respond.

"Can we trust it sergeant?" Zoe asked. "What if it's an imperial trick?"

"Do we have a choice?"

Mal grabbed a flare from behind his long coat.

"Look alive people, medships are on the way. We gotta prepare for extraction."

Those that could, got up on their own strength. Many were dying and likely wouldn't make it for the ships' arrival. After what seemed like hours, the med-ships finally broke through the clouds. The group could spot the bright red crosses painted on their bottoms.

"Are those really med ships?" Zoe asked in disbelief. "Are we really getting out?"

"Looks like it."

Zoe sighed. "Thank God."

"God?" Mal sneered. "Whose colors is he flyin'?"

On that day, Shaddam Corrino IV, 81st Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe, emerged victorious. The short lived Independence War had come to an end. But the fight would never truly be over for those who were at Serenity Valley.

_Planet Hagal II_

_Theta Shaowei System_

_10,190 A.G._

_Two Years After the Independence War_

Hagal II was a rocky arid world. Once prized for its precious minerals, it was now a near forgotten fringe planet. With nothing left to mine, it became a haven for ne'er do-wells and shady dealers. Citizens bustled through a makeshift bazaar, run by traders and hustlers. The locals set up quickly, selling to an influx of off world travelers.

Merchants cried out to customers, advertising cheap trinkets and goods. The smell of fresh dim sum wafted through the warm afternoon air. Out of place amongst the stalls was one large Firefly-class transport. It towered over the scene, a giant metallic insect spying its human prey. Its belly let down a long ramp, giving view to a spacious loading dock.

A young woman stood atop a stack of empty crates in front of the ship. She wore a flowery robe over grease stained coveralls. Her black hair was done up into two ox-horn buns. Her feet shuffled around the crate in a pair of straw sandals. She spoke to the crowd energetically.

"If you've got somewhere to go, try the _Serenity!_ Anywhere in the 'verse, no place too far! She may not look like much but she'll surprise ya! Comfortable accommodations, good food, great crew! Only 200 solari!"

A dark skinned man noticed the spirited young mechanic. His snow white hair was tied back and he sported a light mustache. He dressed in a light gray cassock, signifying he was a preacher. He strode toward her, holding the strap of his duffel bag in one hand. A copy of the Orange Catholic bible was in the other. The girl pounced off the crates and greeted him with a big smile.

"Where ya headed preacher? Betcha the Serenity can take you there!"

"In that rusty old thing?" he asked doubtfully.

"The gal's got a lot of life left in her yet. Ever travel in a firefly?"

"A long time ago."

"If you need a ride, we'd be happy to have you. If you can pay that is. You can pay, right?"

"Well I have almost enough solari, and..."

The mechanic watched with interest as the preacher produced a small wooden box from his bag. He held it up to the girl and opened it to reveal fresh strawberries. The girl's eyes widened as she gazed upon the rare fruit.

"That will do it," she replied. "Name's Kaylee, Kaylee Frye. Mechanic on the _Serenity._"

"Shepherd Book, though most just call me Book."

"Pleased to meet you Book, let me help you with your things."

"Much obliged."

Jayne Cobb swaggered through the bazaar's main walkway, wearing his angriest scowl. Zoe and Mal walked beside him, enduring the mercenary's latest tirade.

"I'm tellin' ya Mal, we should've left that _sǐ pì yǎn_ in a pool of his own blood!"

"Then we'd be dead, can't get paid if we're dead," Mal retorted.

"We could just drop the cargo sir," Zoe suggested.

Jayne trotted ahead of the others and stood in their path.

"No ruttin' way! We ain't had a decent job in months. We need fuel, supplies and I'm pretty sure we need to eat eventually."

"Calm down," Mal told him. "We ain't jettisoning the goods. We'll find someone to take it off our hands for a nice price and be on our merry." Mal gently pushed Jayne aside and strode toward the transport. Zoe caught up to him, while Jayne brooded behind.

"Okay, so Badger was asking too much," Zoe admitted. "Got anyone else in mind?"

"Not at the moment. But we're in over our heads till we get rid of the stuff. And I don't wanna explain to imperial authorities what we're doing with stolen spice."

Zoe's eyes scanned the noisy crowd. Two armored imperial soldiers were surveying the area suspiciously. The corporal quickly averted her gaze.

"Might not want to throw around that word too loosely Mal," she advised.

"What?" Jayne asked. "We could be talking about wasabi, or ginger."

Mal and Zoe gave their usual "are you kidding?" look to Jayne, although they already knew the answer.

"Well some spices go for very high some places, and they ain't considered contraband!"

"Remind us to pick some up next time we're in a general store," Mal said.

The three arrived at _Serenity's_ loading ramp, just in time to see their pilot Wash towing a large cargo crate into the ship. He drove a light hovercraft, its suspensors struggled to haul the giant steel box. Intensely watching the luggage was a sharp dressed young man. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of tinted shades.

Mal gave him the once over. The man was a Suk (pronounced sook) doctor, evidenced by the small red diamond tattoo on his forehead. Suk doctors were mentally conditioned not to betray their patients. This made them valuable to the nobility, who constantly feared assassination. Mal instantly disliked him. Chances are the doctor made his living catering to the very imperials that crushed the independence movement.

"Mal, this is Simon Tam. Simon this is our captain," Kaylee said.

"Captain Reynolds, I've heard of you."

"Welcome aboard," he replied coolly.

Simon nodded and proceeded up the ramp.

"Is that everybody?" Mal asked Kaylee.

"A fella named Dobson should be comin' along any time now cap'n."

"He's got five minutes, else he'll have to find another ship."

A plain dressed man weaved his way through the crowd, hurrying up to _Serenity_. He pulled a wallet from behind his vest pocket. "Sorry I'm late, name's Dobson. Captain, I presume?"

"In the flesh, 200 solari to ride."

"Right, here you are."

Mal pocketed the credits and jerked a thumb toward the cargo hold. "Hop on, we're leavin'."

Dobson trotted into the craft. Mal gave a final look around the bazaar, no one seemed desperate for a lift. As he started to close the hatch, his presence was graced by a stunningly beautiful woman. Wavy black hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her bronze skinned face. She wore a flowing white dress, miraculously spotless in the dusty surroundings. Her most alluring feature Mal noticed, were her sparkling all blue eyes. Jayne rushed down the ramp.

"Wash is heatin' up the engines, what's the hold-"

He stopped mid sentence at the sight of the young woman.

"An off-world Fremen," Kaylee pointed out. "Never thought I'd see one."

The Fremen gently carried herself up the ramp to greet the captain.

"Excuse me sir, would you have room for one more?" she sweetly asked.

"Why yes, yes I do. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

The girl nodded. "I'm Inara Kuhar, pleased to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine miss Kuhar," Mal said. "Come aboard, make yourself at home."

Inara nodded again and followed Kaylee into the ship.

Mal shook in his head in disbelief. An abandoned crate of spice, a ship full of passengers and a Fremen girl to boot. Things hadn't been this exciting since the war, he thought. Mal left the ramp as it started to swivel back into position. The airlock closed shut, and the _Serenity_ was soon on its way.

The insect-like _Serenity_ hurtled through the Black. Hagal II shrank to a pale brown dot in its wake. The firefly's cone shaped engine glowed vividly against the dark of space. After getting situated, the passengers were being toured through the ship.

"Meals are taken up here in the dining area," Mal explained. "Next one's about eighteen-hundred."

"I think the shepherd has offered to prepare us something," Kaylee announced.

Mal turned to Book. "A shepherd huh?"

"Thought the outfit would've given it away," Book replied. "Is it a problem?"

"Not as long as you don't start preachin' on my ship."

Book frowned slightly and shrugged. "If that's your wish captain, I will respect it."

"Y'all are welcome to the dining area any time," Mal said to the passengers. "Other than that, I'll ask you to remain in your quarters. Bridge, engine room, cargo bay are all off limits without an escort.

Thanks to Book, dinner was unusually varied than the _Serenity_ was used to. Large bowls sat in the center of the dark wood table, filled with rare delicacies. They included pundi rice from Caladan, assorted meats in thick sauces, sweet and spicy soups and marinated vegetables. The guests piled portions of the fare on their plates with serving chopsticks. Small drinking cups were topped off with tea, wine or beer.

"Captain, do you mind if I say grace?" Book asked.

"Only if you say it out loud," he replied, before plucking a dumpling out of a steamer.

Book folded his hands and gazed downward. The others followed suit except Mal. After a moment of silence was observed, everyone eagerly started on their meals. As dinner went on, Inara couldn't help notice the glances she was getting from the others.

"So Inara, you're a long way from Arrakis," Mal said.

"Yes captain. I was raised in a sietch near Carthag, the Harkonnen capital. I was taken there when I was younger and trained as a courtesan."

Inara admitted her past with no sense of shame or guilt. Some of the others looked a little embarrassed. Perhaps her origin wasn't surprising, considering her attractiveness. Mal was deflated to hear it.

"I see..."

"Dune was visited by many nobles and dignitaries. They needed their comforts when away from home," she explained.

Zoe spoke next. "How did you get out of Dune?"

"The Harkonnens are cruel and oppressive to Fremen kind. I could never be happy enslaved in their palace. I'd have cut my way through their guards and returned to the desert if I desired. We Fremen are natural born warriors. But I would be a hunted woman, as the rest of my kind. I couldn't live that way."

Inara thought to herself, sipping some tea from her cup.

"Members of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood infiltrated Carthag. They spoke in secrecy to the Fremen servants, instructed us in physical and mental abilities beyond the understanding of most."

Jayne almost choked on a piece of food. "The Bene Gesserit? They're witches! They control minds and such, don't be tellin' me you're one of them."

Inara shot him a smoldering look. It was all the more effective with her totally blue eyes. Jayne hid his face behind his cup, ashamed by his outburst.

"I received some training, never said I was a sister. And you shouldn't believe fireside stories meant to scare children. They showed me a way out, gave me hope. I bargained, sweet talked and negotiated my freedom. It was a dangerous game, full of courtly intrigue and politics."

Inara finished her tea, smiling at some memory of her triumph over the Harkonnens.

"But I won," she resumed. "Before I knew it, I was escorted off world with a visiting diplomat. I've traveled freely since, offering my comfort to those in need."

Mal looked at her incredulously. "No one makes you whore, but you do it anyway?"

"Captain!" Kaylee gasped.

Inara winced at him. "Only the ignorant would confuse an imperially trained courtesan with a common prostitute. We're learned, cultured, elegant women."

"You can educate me any time, heh," Jayne cut in.

"It's so sad how House Harkonnen must treat your home world..." Kaylee said.

"My people have a prophecy," Inara explained. "A man from another planet will come, and liberate us from our oppressors. We call him the Mahdi, the one who will lead us to paradise."

The rest of the meal continued peacefully. After several hours, the passengers went to their quarters for the night. Mal, Zoe and Wash held a meeting in the captain's cabin. It was slightly larger than the passenger dorms. It afforded a small living room, furnished with some chairs and a low lying table. The three sat around it, contemplating their situation.

"Think Badger tipped the imperials about us?" Zoe asked the the captain.

"Doubt it. He doesn't want the empire's attention any more than we do, he'll keep quiet."

Wash got up from his seat and started to pace. "This is a rare opportunity Mal. Most people in the 'verse will never see spice in their lifetime. You realize we have enough in that crate to purchase our own planet?"

"Too dangerous Wash," Mal replied. "We ain't spice smugglers, that's way out of our league. We hand it to someone who deals in illicit spice, take a percentage, and sit pretty for a long while."

Wash shook his head. "Spice smuggling's not so uncommon. You think the CHOAM corporation tracks every granule? 'Sides, the empire has bigger fish to fry."

"Such as?" Zoe asked.

"Spice is mostly used for instant space travel. Maybe abused by bored nobles who can afford it. It's still arguably the least dangerous drug in the 'Verse. We could be peddling elacca, vertite, semuta to name a few. Narcotics that break a man's will, destroys lives, families."

"Empire doesn't care about drug abuse, it's about control. They'd never let just anyone jump from one end of the galaxy to the next, it's too much power," Mal replied.

Wash opened his mouth to argue, when Zoe raised a hand to silence him.

"Husband, we came here to figure out how to get rid of our little problem. Let's stay focused."

"Agreed," Mal said.

Wash sighed in frustration and headed for the door.

"Where you goin?" Mal asked.

"To check on our course, and maybe play with my dinosaurs."

Mal looked confused.

"He gets bored at the helm sometimes," she explained.

"Ah."

Wash climbed up to the bridge, making his way to the piloting controls. He brushed aside some plastic dinosaurs and sat down. Just as he was about to check the ship's heading, he noticed a blinking light at the corner of his eye. He spun in his chair to a small monitor. The ship's comm panel showed a missed wave was received from an imperial cruiser. Wash checked the rest of the log, spotting a string of codes sent from the _Serenity_.

"Oh my Buddha," he whispered.

The chair was still spinning as Wash rushed back to Mal.

Mal snapped his fingers. "I got it! Esmar Tuek, that's who'll take the load off us."

Zoe thought on it momentarily. "Last time we met, Tuek _was_ planning to get in on spice harvesting..."

"Willin' to bet he's still on Buzzell?"

"Trading in soostones most likely," Zoe replied.

"Buzzell it is. If Tuek's not there, we'll bury the spice on one the islands. It'll be a loss...but we could always return to it."

"Sure, we shake off the imperials, burn through some funds and come back. It could be a nice source of revenue. We take a little each time, sell it quickly and quietly, I could see it work in a pinch."

Mal grinned, satisfied with finding a solution. The mood was short lived as Wash burst onto the scene.

"Captain, we got trouble."

"What now?"

"Someone was at my controls, waved an encrypted message to an imperial cruiser in the sector. We got a mole on board."

Mal and Zoe sprung from their seats, ready to fight at a moment's notice. Mal threw on his shield belt. He flipped a switch on the generator-buckle. A near invisible field enveloped him soon after. He grabbed and holstered a ballistic revolver. Zoe picked up her trademark sawed off shotgun. Mal ordered Wash to stay on the bridge. On their way through the front hall, Mal and Zoe saw Jayne stumbling toward them, the mercenary was groaning as he held his forehead.

"What the hell happened to you?" Mal asked.

"Ruttin' bastard took me by surprise, didn't see who. Heard 'em runnin for the cargo hold last."

The group made their way to the hold. They stopped to see Simon kneeling by the metal box he had taken with him aboard the craft. Mal and Zoe trained their weapons on the young Suk doctor. Simon turned around from the box and was startled.

"What is this about?" he asked.

"That's what I'd like to know. Who do you work for, Imperial Intelligence, Sardaukar?"

"You're insane."

From out of the shadows emerged Book. "Hate to say it captain, but you've got the wrong man."

Book flicked his eyes to the stairs leading up to the hold's catwalk. Standing at the top of the stairs was Dobson, holding a compact lasgun in his hands. He pointed it directly at Mal.

"Put down your weapons, or the ship blows."

Mal and Zoe laid down their arms immediately, knowing that a lasgun hitting a shield caused the dreaded Holtzman effect. When laser met shield, the convergence of forces caused a nuclear explosion. Due to this, hand-to-hand combat was more prevalent than all out shooting wars.

**To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Fire and Spice**

A Dune-Firefly Crossover

**Episode One**

**Chapter 2:** Simon's Story

_Firefly-class transport Serenity_

_Cargo hold_

_Somewhere in the Theta-Shaowei system_

Dobson kept the pocket sized lasgun trained on Mal. The captain kept his hands up, but showed no sign of fear or intimidation.

"Simon Tam, you are bound by law to stand down," Dobson said, descending the stairs.

Mal lowered his arms and glanced at Simon. Defeat washed over the young doctor's face, as it was his turn to surrender.

"Get on the ground son," Dobson ordered.

"Lawman you're making a mistake," Simon replied.

Dobson came within an arm's length from Simon. He was close enough to sheer the doctor in two with his lasgun at the slightest provocation. The preacher attempted to come between the two men.

"The boy's not going anywhere lawman. I think everyone could stand to calm down a bit,"

"This isn't your business shepherd," Dobson stated. "The doctor here is carrying a wanted fugitive across interplanetary borders."

The lawman turned to Mal. "And you. Nobody flying around the edge of the 'verse is ever up to any good. Far as I'm concerned, everyone on this ship is a culprit."

"Please, we're very close to true stupidity here," Book said nervously.

"The imperial cruiser is on intercept so talk all you want," Dobson replied. "Got about twenty minutes."

"Might have less than that," Mal threatened.

"Yeah? Go ahead, threaten me." Dobson trained the lasgun on Mal, aiming dangerously close to the shield. It was too much for Book.

"For God's sake man!"

"You think I wouldn't shoot a shepherd? Back off."

Mal grabbed Simon by the shoulders. "Just take the boy!"

"Stand the hell down!"

Kaylee and Inara entered in through the passenger dorms, awakened by the commotion. Startled, Dobson spun around and fired his lasgun. The pale blue beam burned into Kaylee's side. It wasn't a fatal shot, but a serious one. She held a hand to the fresh cut, it was soaked with blood and she fell to the floor.

"Kaylee!" Inara cried. She removed her night robe and rushed to put pressure on the mechanic's wound.

Seeing an opportunity, Book grabbed Dobson's gun and delivered a hard punch to the jaw. The lawman went down cold. Inara backed away as Simon and Mal rushed to deal with Kaylee. Jayne unsheathed a combat knife from his belt and stalked toward the vulnerable lawman. Book stood up to him, guarding the unconscious body.

"Move preacher." He held the blade to Book's neck, but the older man was unfazed.

"Not gonna happen."

The click of a shotgun sounded out. "Jayne." Zoe said, holding her weapon up to the mercenary. "Just tie him up".

Jayne sheathed the knife and angrily stomped off. Zoe holstered her weapon and went up to Book. "Gun, shepherd. Please."

The shepherd handed it to her. Wash's voice came through the ship's intercom system. "Captain, we've been hailed by a cruiser. We're to stay on course and wait for prisoner transfer."

"Change course, run," Simon told Mal.

Mal looked up from Kaylee and glared at Simon's suggestion. "To hell with that. You brought this down on us, I'm throwing you to the empire."

"Turn this ship around or I let her die."

Mal looked at him cruelly. "If she dies, you'll never make it off this boat alive."

"If the empire takes me, I'm dead anyway. Help me save Kaylee, change the course."

Seconds of tension passed as the two egos battled silently. "Zoe, tell Wash there's been a change of plans." Mal finally said.

Zoe punched a button on the intercom panel. "Wash change course and go for hard burn, we're runnin'."

"Help me get her up," Simon instructed.

The firefly's conical engine flared as Wash went full throttle. The transport did a 180 degree turn, blasting in the opposite direction of the cruiser. Simon worked diligently in the ship's infirmary. The supplies available weren't up to his standards, but he made due. Mal assisted wherever possible. The rest of the crew watched eagerly from outside. Simon lifted his blood stained apron off and folded it away.

"Cant't do anymore till she stabilizes."

"Will she?" Mal asked.

"Can't say yet."

Mal looked at him suspiciously. "It's about time we got to the bottom of things. What does the empire want with a fugitive Suk doctor?"

Simon remained silent, as he continued putting the medical tools away. Zoe remembered something from the incident in the cargo hold.

"Captain, didn't Dobson say that Simon was carrying a fugitive?"

Mal scratched his chin in thought. "Matter of fact, he did."

Simon closed his eyes and cursed under his breath.

"Come to think of it," Mal continued. "That there box Simon brought on is big enough to fit a person."

"What do you say we find out captain?" Zoe asked.

"Let's just."

Simon turned around from the sink to see Mal and the others hurry toward the hold. He rushed after them, pleading for them to stop.

"Stay away from that!" he shouted.

Jayne put Simon in a full nelson, holding him back. The doctor looked on helplessly as Mal unfastened the box and kicked off the lid. White smoke partially obscured a curled up naked figure. Mal looked upon it in silent awe. Simon fought Jayne's restraint, trying to get closer to the girl.

"I need to check her vitals." he said.

"Is that what they call it?" Mal asked, as he walked toward the doctor.

"She's not supposed to wake up for another week, the shock-"

"The shock of what, waking up?" Mal asked. "The shock of finding out you're kidnapped?"

Before Simon could reply, a shriek sounded from the box. The girl jolted, alarmed by the strange surroundings. She was pale skinned and lithe, with long curly hair. She jumped out of the container and recoiled at the sight of the strangers. Simon rushed to comfort her.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm here." A look of recognition crossed the girl's face.

"Simon, help" she whimpered. "Make them stop!"

"It's okay, we're safe, I'm here."

The girl to clung to Simon and simpered. The others looked at the pitiful scene with sadness and confusion in their eyes.

"What the hell is this?" Mal asked.

"This is my sister."

The girl was taken to an empty bed in the infirmary. The crew met in the dining room. All eyes were on Simon, staring at him expectantly. Simon knew he could no longer hide his origin, it was time for an explanation.

"I am very smart," he started. "I attended the Suk Inner School on Parmentier. Graduated top three percent of my class. Finished my internship in eight months. Gifted, is the term. So when I tell you my little sister makes me look like an idiot child, I want you to understand my full meaning."

Simon took a breath, letting it sink in to the crew. "River was more than gifted, she was a gift. Whatever she did, everything came natural to her. Just as breathing is to us. She could be a real brat about it too, I mean..."

Simon laughed to himself. Jayne looked unimpressed, sipping something from a mug and wandering off to a cupboard.

"There was a school," Simon continued. "An imperial sponsored academy. We never even heard of it but it offered the most exciting program, the most challenging. Could have sent her anywhere, we had the solari. But that's where she wanted to go. She was fourteen."

Simon looked pained and lost for words. After a couple seconds, he found himself again.

"At first, we got a few letters. And then, I didn't hear for months. Finally I got a letter that made no sense. She mentioned things that never happened, jokes we never shared. It was a code. It just said...they're hurting us. Get me out."

"How did you do it?" Zoe asked.

"Money. And luck. For two years I couldn't get near her. Then I was contacted by some men, some underground movement. They said she was in danger, that the academy was playing with her brain. If I funded them, they could put her in cryo, get her to Parmentier and I could take her someplace safe."

"Will she be alright?" Inara asked.

"I don't know if she'll be alright. I don't know what they did to her or why. I...I just have to keep her safe."

"That's quite a story son," Book said.

"Yeah," Mal replied. "really stirring. But in the meantime you heaped a world of trouble on me and mine."

"I never thought-"

"I don't imagine you thought," Mal interrupted. "In consequence we have a kidnapped imperial officer on board, we got a cruiser hot on our trail and Kaylee..."

"How much does the empire know?" Zoe asked Wash.

"They'll have a general idea where we are. They'll know to look for a transport, and that the doctor and River are hiding in one. Beyond that I don't know."

"What will you do with us?" Simon asked.

"If Kaylee comes through, you and your sister get off at Buzzell."

"And if she doesn't come through?"

"Then you're gettin' off a mite sooner."

"That'd be murder," Book said.

"He didn't shoot her," Inara added.

"No but someone else did, and my head's itchin' as to why we ain't dealt with him," Jayne replied.

"Are you suggesting we kill the agent?" Inara asked him.

"Could you think of anything stupider?" Zoe remarked.

"If you want to push me out an airlock fine, but River is not a part of this," Simon stated.

"Can we maybe vote on this whole murdering people issue?" Washed asked.

Mal turned to him. "We don't vote on this ship, because this ship is not the rutting town hall.

The crew burst into heated chatter about how to handle the situation.

"_Ni men dou bi zui!_" Mal shouted. Everyone shut up.

"We gotta deal with what's in front of us," he said. "I knew I shouldn't have gotten into this business..."

Mal walked off angrily, leaving the others to their thoughts. Simon followed him into the corridor.

"What business is that exactly?"

Mal answered him with silence.

"I'm a dead man, I can't know?"

Mal continued staring at him defiantly.

"Is it gold? Drugs? Piracy? What is it that makes you so afraid of the empire?"

"You don't want to go down this road with me boy."

"Oh you're not afraid of them?"

Mal walked up to the young man, staring him down.

"Considering you were handing me to them, you should probably work for them."

With that, Mal punched him hard across the face. Simon went down, rubbing his cheek as Mal walked away.

Kaylee had regained consciousness in the infirmary. Her eyes lit up as Mal entered to check on her.

"Hey captain."

"Hey, what's the news?"

"I'm shiny, captain A-OK," she said tiredly.

A moment of silence came between them.

"Can't feel much below my belly though," she continued. "Kind of cold."

"Well you just gotta rest." Mal grabbed a blanket off a chair. "Something's gonna break on this boat real soon, you'll have to fix it."

"Mal, I kind of like the doctor. Can we keep him?"

"Afraid not _mei-mei_, he's going to be movin' on soon."

"Could you at least ask him to stay with us?"

Kaylee held out a hand. Mal took it in his and squeezed softly.

"I'll keep it in mind."

Simon stood in Inara's quarters. The fremen courtesan handed him a case of small vials.

"Some natural fremen remedies," she explained. "healing salves, ointments and herbal extracts. I think they'll help Kaylee recover."

"Thank you very much Inara."

He turned to walk away when Inara asked, "Do you think she'll be alright?"

"I believe so. I'm...so sorry for my part in what happened. I never...I mean I don't know how to..."

"We're lost in the desert, to borrow a phrase from Dune. Though I sense the captain likes it that way."

Mal suddenly entered the quarters. "No, but the desert is the only place I can see a clear path."

Simon stood awkwardly, holding the remedies in his hands.

"What's your business here?" Mal asked him.

"It's my business. Decided to show the boy my talents, since he's not long for this world."

Simon's face reddened at the embarrassing lie and hurried out of the room.

"What are you doing in my dorm?"

"It's my dorm, you're just staying in it. No matter. You're a temporary passenger who'll depart soon enough."

"Guess that depends if we survive this."

Simon was returning to his quarters, when he stopped at the sound of Mal's voice.

"We're all hurtin' too you know," the captain said.

He walked closer to the doctor, the metal from the floor clanking with each step.

"All our lives are about to be stashed away because of that agent. You got a solution for that? A way around?"

"I don't."

"Comes time someone's gonna have to deal with him. That should be you. But I don't think you got the guts. And I know you don't got the time."

"What do you mean?"

Mal gave him his gravest look. "Kaylee's dead."

He let that sink in for a moment before he turned and walked away. Simon was stunned in disbelief. He ran as fast as he could, clutching Inara's remedies. He was almost out of breath by the time he stopped at the infirmary's entrance. He doubted his sanity at seeing Kaylee laughing and talking with Book.

Meanwhile in the bridge, Zoe, Wash, Jayne and Mal laughed hysterically at the captain's cruel prank.

"You _are _psychotic," Wash managed between fits of laughter.

"I'm a bad man," Mal jokingly said.

"And Kaylee's really okay?" Zoe asked.

"Yeah, the doc didn't expect her to heal this quick. He knows his trade, I'll give him that."

Meanwhile, Jayne interrogated Dobson in his quarters. Dobson sat in a chair, his arms tied behind his back. The agent glared at the mercenary.

"You have no idea how much trouble you're in."

"Oh no, never been in trouble with the law before," Jayne said, dripping with sarcasm.

"Not like this you haven't. That girl is very important to the empire. They would do anything to have her back. As long as she's on your ship, you and the others will be hunted mercilessly."

Jayne unsheathed his broad bladed combat knife and held it inches from Dobson's face.

"You're going to tell us everything you reported to the imperials about us. And if I think you're lyin' my knife hand might just slip."

"I didn't finish my wave to the cruiser," Dobson nervously replied. "Thought I heard someone sneaking up on me, so I ran. They know River and Tam were last seen on a transport vessel in the sector, I swear that's it."

Jayne eyed Dobson skeptically. "Maybe I'll start with one of your ears."

"No wait! Torturing won't get the empire off your back. Help me return Simon and River to the authorities, and you'll be rewarded."

Dobson could tell he got through to the mercenary. Jayne was an opportunist, always looking out for himself. The implication was too good for him to resist.

"I'm listening, but this better be good."

"We both know the empire's going to catch up to the _Serenity_ eventually. They can walk you out of here as an accomplice to a wanted criminal. Or, you can come out of this a hero. What do you want? Rank, wealth, your own ship?"

Jayne slid the knife back into his belt. "I always did want my own ship."

"Captain Jayne..."

"Cobb," the mercenary finished.

"Captain Cobb, that has a nice ring to it don't you think?"

Jayne stood still, lost in his thoughts. Dobson smiled ever so slightly.

After a day's flight from the cruiser, Mal felt secure for now. He may have eluded his pursuers, but the empire would never be far behind. Its presence could be felt on every settlement, from major planets to terraformed moons and asteroid colonies. Nowhere would be entirely safe, but Mal was used to that. The crew and passengers finished breakfast in the dining hall. Dobson remained locked in his quarters. The captain began briefing them on the situation.

"Here's how it is. We're going to Buzzell, a border world. It's got a small starport, where the passengers can hitch another ride. However, starports mean imperial customs officers. Therefore, we'll be dropping y'all off a little far from there. It'll be a jog, but you'll make it."

Zoe gave Mal a meaningful glance as if to remind him of something. Mal nodded.

"But before we send you off, we'll be making a short stop. We have a business associate on Buzzell. Name's Esmar Tuek. We have a confidential proposition to make, shouldn't take long. Book, 'Nara, River, Wash and Kaylee stays on board. Jayne, Zoe and Simon go with me. Are we clear?"

"How come we never heard of this business until now?" Book asked.

"Because it was on a need to know basis."

"Why exactly am I coming along?" Simon asked.

"Cause your the doc, and dependin' on Tuek's mood, things could come to blows. If it does, you might need to patch us up."

Simon quietly accepted his position, but was less than thrilled.

"Why can't you drop us off near the starport first?" Inara asked.

"If an overzealous patrol spots us closing in on the port, Wash'll have to hard burn outta there. Then we miss our meeting with Tuek, and frankly, we can't afford that. Anything else?"

Jayne raised his hand. "What weapons will we get to use? I mean if we have to..."

"Swords and knives. No lasguns, no ballistics. Tuek is wealthy, his men will have personal shields. We don't got the ammo to waste, and a nuclear explosion would ruin everyone's day."

Mal asked if there were any other questions, there were none.

"We're gonna be runnin' the _Serenity_ in overdrive. At our pace, Buzzell is about three days out. So if we could all get along until then, that would be a kindness."

Over the next three days, everyone made their final preparations. Kaylee had practically forgotten her wounds, absorbed in keeping the engine at top performance. The rest of the trip proceeded without incident to everyone's pleasant surprise. As the trip neared its end, a somber mood descended over the passengers and crew. Buzzell was close to the core worlds, but was still a cultural backwater. The imperial presence would likely be light, but one never knew. Then there was the question of Tuek, a cunning and unpredictable businessman. Mal's relationship with him was cool at best, as each had tried to outsmart the other.

Early on the third day, the _Serenity_ closed in on its destination. Wash sat comfortably at the controls. He picked up a hand-held comm device by the flight sticks.

"Attention everyone, we'll be breaking atmo momentarily. Please collect all your belongings, and feel free to visit our gift shop on the way out. We hope you'll enjoy scenic Buzzell and thanks for flying _Serenity _Air, that is all."

Mal was going over a final check of his weapons and supplies. He heard a knock on the bulkhead outside his cabin. He looked up to see Inara standing in the doorway.

"May I come in?"

"Sure."

Inara took in the captain's surroundings. It was much like himself, well worn and rugged, but had a certain charm. A smile touched her lips at the sight of something familiar.

"You have a baliset!" she said, rushing to it.

Mal watched as the fremen went over to the instrument. It resembled a long necked guitar with nine strings.

"Old war buddy gave that to me," Mal explained. "Can't play worth a damn, but I like to strum on it now and then."

Inara looked instantly comfortable holding the instrument in her hands.

"May I?"

Mal nodded his assent. Inara proceeded to pluck a short cheerful tune. Mal found the soothing melody strangely calming. Inara finished and looked up, hoping for a positive reaction.

"That was...quite beautiful," he said.

"Thank you, I used to entertain the guests back on Arrakis with one just like this."

Mal's mood soured somewhat, wondering what else Inara had done to "entertain" back on Dune. He picked a bulky piece of body armor off a rack and slipped it over. Next he grabbed his long duster and threw it on.

"So, what brought you to my quarters?" Mal asked.

"I have something for you."

Inara produced a long knife from a hidden fold in her robe and held it out to him. Mal was temporarily startled, almost expecting Inara to attack with it. The knife was pure white, as if carved from ivory. Grooves were made into it for the grip. The blade had a downward curve, like a bird's beak. She held it reverently, expecting Mal to take it. His hands touched the smooth, almost living feel of the knife's texture. He noticed how light, but sturdy it felt.

"It's a crysknife. The traditional weapon of my people. They're carved from the teeth of Shai-Halud, the sand worms. On my travels I met an elderly fremen near the end of his life. He passed it on to me, and I'd like you to have it."

Mal was impressed by Inara's explanation of the weapon. He thought to refuse it, but figured Inara wouldn't let him.

"Thank you, I'll take this with me to meet Tuek."

Inara smiled at him mysteriously.

"What?"

"If your eyes were blue like mine, you'd look just like a fremen warrior with the knife in your hand."

Mal tucked the crysknife into his belt and started to leave.

"Captain."

"Yes?"

"If Tuek fights you, may his blade chip and shatter."

"With this crysknife by my side, his just might."

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Fire and Spice**

A Dune-Firefly Crossover

**Episode One**

**Chapter 3:** I Must Not Fear

_Firefly-class transport Serenity_

_Somewhere over Buzzell._

Buzzell was almost entirely water. Shards of barren islands dotted its vast oceans. The world was mostly populated by maritime workers. It had one port city, used as a rest stop for extended spaceflights. Wash took the _Serenity _to the coordinates Esmar waved him. He held the transport in a holding pattern over the tiny island. The transport was equipped with two shuttles attached to each wing. The away team was busily preparing one to launch.

Mal sat at the flight controls, with Zoe co-piloting. Jayne came in holding the crate of spice. Simon hurried in last. A medical bag was slung over his shoulder. Once Mal saw that everyone was strapped in, he flipped a switch to detach the vessel. It shook gently as it decoupled from the mother ship, then glided smoothly away. Everyone gathered their weapons, anticipating a possible fight. Mal flipped a switch on comm system.

"We're ready and rarin' to go Wash. You and Kaylee keep her in the air till we get back."

"Will do captain."

Jayne leaned a two-handed claymore against his shoulder. The imposing sword looked right at home with the muscular fighter. Zoe held a cutlass across her lap. It had a thick curved blade and gilded hand guard. Mal strapped a simple short sword to his back, keeping the crysknife as a backup. His utility belt held some curious looking canisters.

After several minutes of descending, Esmar and his party came to into view. They were mere ants gradually growing into humans as the craft approached. The crew observed them watching the shuttle as it closed in. A primitive steamboat was tied to a stake near the shore. The island was small enough to throw a stone across it, leaving little room for a fight.

Zoe started reciting the litany of fear, a ritual she started during the war. "I must not fear, fear is the mind-killer..." she began.

It was an overcast day on Buzzell, with a cold light drizzle. It gave Mal an ominous feeling. It didn't help that there was nothing around but choppy ocean. The captain touched the shuttle down a respectable distance. The group got out and started slowly for the opposite group. Tuek was a little older than Mal. Grey hair poked from under his brimless black cap. His whale-fur coat warmed him against the clammy temperature. He stared suspiciously at Mal behind dark green eyes.

Tuek was flanked by four men to his right. A few looked like ex-military types, wearing field jackets and boasting sub-machine guns. The fourth stood completely still, as if a living statue. He was lean, tall and wore a silk red sash around an embroidered tunic. An elegant long sword was tucked into the sash, protected in a jewel studded scabbard. A shield belt was strapped over the shoulder. The gunmen were shielded as well.

"That there's a Ginaz swordsman. Seventh or eight level, if I remember the sash colors right," Jayne mentioned, hauling the spice chest in his arms.

"Which means?" Mal replied.

"It means Simon better know how to reattach limbs if things get ugly," Zoe said.

Mal came within safe distance and nodded. "Esmar."

"Captain Reynolds. I understand you have an offer for me?"

"That I do. Show 'em the goods Jayne."

The mercenary came between the two men and set down the chest. He flipped it open to reveal six glass tubes, each about half a foot long. The tubes were packed with grainy, orange sand. Tuek's rough gunmen were temporarily taken aback. Even the stern swordsman was startled.

Tuek eyed the precious resource covetously. He knelt down and took one of the tubes into his gloved hands. He slid the cap and breathed deep. A earthy, pungent scent filled his nostrils. He dabbed his pointer finger into the substance and touched it to his tongue. It was overcome with a sharp cinnamon flavor. A nostalgic feeling came over Tuek, remembering a sample of spice he tried as a boy.

"My Gods, this is real," he said.

"Pure high grade melange, straight from Arrakis to you," Mal replied.

"How did you get this?" Tuek asked skeptically.

"Looted it from a derelict imperial ship. Illegal possession of spice is too risky for me and my crew. So here's the deal. Take the spice, give us a finder's fee. Before you know it, you'll fly first class on the next Heighliner to Dune. You start spice smuggling, we get paid, everyone walks away happy."

Tuek shot Mal a coldly serious look. The captain was instantly uncomfortable, not sure how to react. After several long seconds, Tuek burst into laughter. His guards were as bewildered as Mal's. Mal exchanged glances with Zoe and Jayne, each was just as lost.

"Oh mister Reynolds," Tuek managed. "You truly underestimated what you have here."

"Uh...explain?" Mal replied.

"With three of these tubes, I could go to Dune, buy some battered harvesters and start an extremely risky venture. With all six? I could retire to Zanovar, buy one of its superbly beautiful continents for myself and never have to work again."

"Could I come?" Jayne eagerly asked.

Mal glared at him.

"Sorry, had to ask."

Tuek delicately returned the tube to its container, and closed the lid.

"I have a counter-offer captain," Tuek offered. "You give me all the spice. In return, I'll see to it that you and your people die quick and painless."

Mal frowned his disappointment, then weakly laughed off Tuek's words.

"My life's more important than any amount of solari. Take the spice for free. Just let us go."

"Wish I could Reynolds. But I can't chance you tipping the Empire off to my ill gotten spice fortune."

"Come on Tuek, we can talk this out like reasonable men. You can trust me!"

Tuek smirked at Mal's last sentence.

"Okay, you can't trust me. We're armed as if you can see. Wanna fight for the spice, fine. But some of us ain't walkin' away from this. How much you willin' to bet you might be among them."

That gave Tuek pause for thought, and precious time for Mal to try and cheat death again.

Agent Dobson was getting impatient. His face was unshaven and sullen. He could hear his growling, underfed stomach in his sleep. Isolation and hopelessness was wearing him down. Obviously, the cruiser wasn't coming. He knew it was some number of days since confined to his quarters, with no sign of rescue. He tried to piece together what he could. The ship's engines, not far from the dorms, got increasingly louder in the past few days. It was like the ship was being pushed to fly faster.

Then there was some muffled intercom chatter heard through his door. He picked up several words, such as Buzzel and breaking atmo. He remembered feeling the kind of pressure one did when experiencing reentry. Dobson was willing to bet the _Serenity_ stopped at some kind of planet. There was probably a colony there, and where there were colonies, there was the empire. It was also suspiciously long since someone had checked on him. Dobson would not miss his only chance to escape. It was possible he would be caught, but he would take his chances.

The agent slipped a razor blade from out of his sleeve. He felt it drop into the palm of his hand, and started to cut away at his ropes. The razor's edge chewed away the bonds after several moments. Eventually, Dobson wriggled his hands free. He rubbed his wrists in relief, getting back full circulation. He got up and stretched, feeling his strength slowly return after several days of inactivity. He removed his shoes and put them on the bed, the soles facing up. He detached the soles to reveal two hidden compartments.

He removed the parts of a small but potent explosive device and assembled them. He attached the device to the door and timed it. He stepped back a good distance and covered his ears. It would be loud, but all sorts of noises came from the nearby engine room. It would be ignored if it was heard at all. A _thump_ sounded out, which Dobson faintly heard with his covered ears. Wisps of smoke filled the room and the door fell to the ground, reduced to twisted metal.

He lunged into the dorm hall, prepared to fight. He was relieved to see no one there. He peered through the dorm windows as he passed them. He couldn't believe his luck as they were all empty. Peering through Zoe's quarters, he spotted his compact lasgun. He entered the room and grabbed the weapon. He found Zoe's sawed off shotgun and took it too.

"Too easy," he said.

He stalked into the infirmary with a predatory look in his eyes. He saw River, asleep and vulnerable on a gurney. She awoke to the feeling of the lasgun's cold metal against her forehead.

"Time to wake up!" Dobson said.

River screamed and tried to leap away from Dobson, but was still too weak from her suspended animation. He kept the lasgun on her, while he balanced the shotgun over her shoulder.

"If you ever want to see your brother again, you'll do as I say," he whispered into her ear.

He led her out of the infirmary and entered into the lower cargo area. Inara was descending the steps, going to check on River, when she saw Dobson holding her hostage.

"Stay back fremen whore, or the girl gets fried."

Inara froze, frightened by the crazy eyed agent. She stepped back, knowing she could do nothing against the reckless man. Dobson led River up the stairs, keeping the lasgun on her, and looking back to ensure Inara stayed put.

"W-what are you g-going to do?" River whimpered.

Dobson came to a thick door and clicked it open with the sawed off.

"We're finding the nearest imperial station on whatever crap planet this is. Then you're going back where you belong."

"Nooo!" River screamed.

Dobson pushed the lasgun barrel hard enough into River's temple to hurt.

"Yell again and I melt your brain, now get in the shuttle."

Wash manipulated the flight controls with expert precision, but Book could tell his thoughts were elsewhere.

"Zoe is your wife," he said. "it must bother you when she goes on these missions."

"All the time, but I'm used to it...mostly. The worry never goes away, you just cope and wait."

A warning klaxon blared from some panel near Wash. A screen was flashing some message in English and Chinese.

"What's wrong?" Book asked.

"An authorized shuttle launch. Why in _Dìyù_ do we have an authorized shuttle launch!?"

Before Wash and Book could react, Inara charged onto the bridge.

"Dobson escaped, and he's got River!"

Back on Buzzell, Mal and Tuek were having a heated argument over past grievances. It was embarrassingly childish, but it was keeping everyone alive for the time being.

"Oh yeah?" Mal said to some accusation. "what about that double cross in the Delta Pavonis system?"

"That was an honest mistake," Tuek said defensively.

Mal laughed humorlessly. "An honest mistake my _pi-gu-yen_!"

"You almost got me sentenced to hard labor in an imperial work camp," Tuek said bitterly.

"Considering what you're doing now, that would be an improvement."

"Rut this," Jayne muttered in frustration.

He dragged a sizable rock closer to him with his foot, as Tuek and Mal continued arguing. He balanced it on the top of his boot and kicked it at one of the gunners. The rock hit home, staggering the gunman. His arms flailed upward and uncontrollably squeezed off a few rounds. The suddenness of the shots scattered the group.

Dobson was flying from away from the _Serenity_, when he heard the echo of the shots. A loud _ping_ could be heard from under the craft. The agent, guessing that might have been from the Firefly crew, flew in the direction of the gunfire. Simon, Zoe, Mal and Jayne hid behind a large boulder that was lying at the opposite edge of the small island. Mal detached a canister from his belt.

"Smoke bomb, they can't shoot what they can't see," he explained.

He pulled a pin from the canister and launched the bomb of the boulder. An explosion of thick gray smoke enveloped the island.

"Everyone scatter, catch 'em by surprise!" Mal ordered.

Simon and Zoe found themselves scattered from the others. Knowing Simon was no fighter, Zoe bid him to stay behind her. She held the cutlass tight, preparing to defend Simon with her life. A gunman emerged from the smoke. He was out of reach of Zoe's sword. She stared back at her enemy, preparing for the worst. A volley of shots were fired and she fell to the ground.

"Zoe!" Simon shouted.

Enraged beyond reason, he charged the gunman, taking him by surprise. He swung his heavy medical bag as hard as he could into the gunner's head. The swing was fast, but slow enough to go through the shields. Some hefty medical equipment in the bag bludgeoned the man unconscious. He ran to Zoe to inspect her wounds. Upon opening her jacket, he saw an armored vest. Luckily, the shots hadn't penetrated, but Zoe was too winded to fight.

"You may have some bruised ribs, but you'll pull through, just stay put," he said.

Amidst the chaos, Tuek searched desperately through the smoke for the spice crate. He waved his hands wildly, trying to dissipate the fog. Just when he could make out the container, he saw a gunman reach for a tube to take for himself. Tuek removed a dagger from under his coat and slipped it between the gunman's ribs. The soldier went down and Tuek pried the tube from his hands. He held it triumphantly, but the feeling was not to last. He was momentarily stunned by a shortsword sweeping down and shattering the tube into two halves. The spice fell onto the wet rocky ground.

"Noo!" Tuek shouted.

Mal turned at the sound of footsteps heard through the smoke. The last gunman approached. Mal grabbed Tuek and held him for a shield. The gunman was just about to fire, but stopped. He contemplated shooting the boss and taking the spice, but was hesitant. Whatever moral reservations he had didn't last long however. The man brought the gun up to kill them both, when a broadsword came out of nowhere, severing the rifle. Jayne followed up with some more slashes, deftly avoided by his opponent.

"Swordsman, where are you?" Tuek called out.

The smoke from the bomb was starting to vaporize entirely. The swordsman came into view and challenged Mal. The captain remembered his best fencing techniques and prepared for a fight to the death. Not knowing how the melee would turn out, Tuek was determined to grab at least one spice tube and take it to the steam ship. He plucked one out of the chest and made a run for the vessel. The gunman was wearing out from evading Jayne's attacks. Jayne finally stunned him with the flat of his blade and ran after Tuek.

"No you don't," he said. The large man tackled Tuek hard to the ground. The impact caused the trader to loose his grip on the tube. He watched helplessly as it rolled down an incline and into the sea. The island dropped off sharply, with no real shore to speak of. The tube was already on its way to the depths of the ocean.

The duel between the Ginaz swordsman and Mal was a flurry of clashing blades. The swordsman was unexpectedly surprised by Mal's effective, if unorthodox swordsmanship. Mal made a lunging attack at the swordsman's chest, but it was too fast. A ripple of energy could be seen repelling the force of the sword thrust. The expert swordsman saw that Mal's energy was fading fast.

Zoe got up weakly, struggling to catch her breath. She was helped by Simon as they made their way to the fighting. Jayne had wrestled Tuek down and threw away his dagger.

Determined to end the fighting, the swordsman disarmed Mal. The captain's weapon spun in the air and hit the ground harmlessly. The swordsman swung a few kicks at him, taking the captain to his knees. Mal was exhausted and outmatched by the younger, stronger warrior. The swordsman lifted his blade for the kill. As it swooped down, a blade intercepted it with a loud clang. Jayne had saved Mal's life.

Mal crawled to one of the stunned gunmen. He grabbed a sub-machine gun off him. Jayne and the Ginaz swordsman were locked in deadly combat. Tuek was recovering from Jayne's tackle and made his way over to the action. Jayne was physically strong, but was losing to the swordsman's efficient technique. Finally Jayne was forced to the ground, the sword point mere inches from his chest. Tuek frantically grabbed up the precious tubes from the chest.

He scooped up three and was going for the fourth, when a dark shadow covered him. He looked up to see Dobson's shuttle coming in for a rough landing. Terrified, Tuek ran from it, the tubes rattling in his embrace. The shuttle landed hard, utterly smashing the last spice tube and the chest to particles. The shock of the craft's landing broke the swordsman's concentration. With the last of his strength, Jayne got up and punched him out. The _Serenity_ crew gathered together, astonished at the sight of the second shuttle. Dobson exited it, holding River hostage.

"Simon!" River cried.

Dobson waved the lasgun around menacingly. The sawed off was pressed to River's neck.

"You fringe world scum are all alike," Dobson said. "With your back alley deals, lack of sophistication and disregard for anything civilized."

"You got what you wanted," Mal said. "Why did you come here?"

"To have the pleasure of killing you and your crew of savages. Once I'm done, I'm going to find the nearest imperial and let them do as they please with this _thing_."

Tuek, utterly confused by the whole situation came up to Dobson.

"Who's the real savage? The one who wants to live in peace and freedom, or the one that coerces others to do their bidding and calls it civilized?"

Dobson spun around to hear who spoke. He did a double take when he noticed the man was carrying spice.

"Oh that's rich. Let the spice smuggler talk about the peace and freedom to break laws, deal in dangerous substances..."

While Dobson continued his speech, Mal quietly reached for his crysknife. It made a slithering sound as it slipped out of the belt.

"Hey Dobson!" Mal shouted. "Catch!"

The agent turned to see a strange tooth shaped object hurtling toward him. Before he knew it, the crysknife was firmly lodged in his skull. Blood gushed over his face, his whole body convulsed. He tried to remain standing, but the pain was so great, he only collapsed and bled out on the ground. River ran into Simon's arms. The siblings hugged each other tightly. Mal came up to Dobson's fresh corpse. He rolled it over with his foot and plucked the crysknife out. He wiped the blood off with the agent's clothes and sheathed it.

Zoe went over and took back the sawed off shotgun.

"Jayne and Simon, grab the shuttle. Me and Zoe will take the other."

Mal surveyed the small battered island. He reflected on the dead or unconscious bodies, and strewn swords and guns. It reminded him of the war. All of this because of that fateful day in Serenity Valley. He walked up to Tuek. The trader guarded the last of the spice jealously.

"Looks like you'll be takin' that trip to Dune after all," Mal said.

"It's no resort planet, but it will hardly be dull," he replied, smiling tiredly.

A silent pact came between them. Both would leave alive. The stunned guards started to come to, and picked themselves up. Tuek beckoned them to follow him into the steam ship. Jayne and Simon's shuttle took off. Mal and Zoe followed close behind, after dumping Dobson into the water.

The _Serenity_ flew closer to the main island. Wash stayed at the bridge, while the rest convened in the dining room.

"ETA about five minutes to your drop off," Mal explained to the passengers. "If you've any remaining business on the ship, now's the time."

"You know," Book said. "not long after I came onto the _Serenity_, I knew I was on the wrong ship for a preacher. But then again, maybe I'm exactly where I ought to be. I think the ship could use my counsel, if that's alright."

Mal looked at shepherd skeptically. Kaylee gave the captain her best puppy dog eyes look. Mal cursed to himself, knowing Kaylee practically demanded to let preacher stay on with a glance.

"Alright, if that's what you want. If you're willin' to work, we could use ya."

Inara, perhaps encouraged by Book, spoke next.

"I made a lot of friends in high places back on Dune," she told him. "I know politics, etiquette, diplomacy, among other things..."

"Heh heh," Jayne laughed.

He quickly shut up from an admonishing look by Inara.

"I'd love to assist in your future travels captain. I could call this ship home for awhile."

Mal took in Inara's beauty, remembered her gift, and how it may have saved his life and that of his crew. He couldn't deny a kind of attraction to the fremen woman.

"Alright, you're on."

Simon and River were silent and Mal assumed they were happy to get dropped off at the port. The captain went to check on Wash. Soon after, Zoe had come in as well.

"Zoe, what brings you?" Wash asked.

"I almost died on Buzzell, I need you to make sure I'm okay," she said slyly.

"If you'll excuse me captain,"

"By all means."

Zoe grabbed Wash off of the captain's chair and led him out of the bridge. Mal shook his head and smiled. He took Wash's seat and checked the controls. He could just see the large island on the horizon. Footsteps sounded behind him.

"Thought you-"

He was silenced by Simon's entrance. The doctor walked around the piloting area, observing the dizzying array of buttons and controls. They looked like they were cobbled together from a dozen other ships. It was a wonder how the old transport kept flying as well as it did.

"So where do you plan on dumping us?" he asked.

"There's a trading post a few minutes from here, you could stock up on supplies. You'd be at the starport by sundown if you don't spend too long. Thing is, you're probably safer on the move. And we always keep movin'."

"I'm confused. No wait...maybe you're confused." Simon said.

"Maybe it's not apparent to you the ship could use a medic. If you live by my rules, and resist doing anything crazy, you could find a place here."

Simon took a deep breath and thought on it.

"I'll try to put this as delicately as I can. How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?"

"You don't know me son so, let me explain this to you once. If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me and you'll be armed."

"Is all this sentimental?"

Mal leaned back in his chair and grinned.

"I had a good day."

"You had the alliance on you. Criminals tried to kill us. Some of the people on this ship have been wounded. And you're harboring known fugitives."

"Well we're still flyin'."

"That's not much."

"It's enough."

The crowd of a small fishing village looked up to see a strange ship. The firefly had suddenly changed course, soaring past the settlement and climbing out of view. Before long, Buzzell was a glittering light in the Black. The _Serenity_ was back on the trail to wherever fate took it.

End.


End file.
